Chapped lips can sometimes heal on their own, but if that isn't happening after a day or two, try using a lip balm, suggests Zeichner. Lip balms contain a combination of waxes and oils that form a protective seal over the skin, he explains.
Applying lip balm regularly should ease discomfort until your lips have time to heal. Severely chapped lips may take longer to heal, but the average time is two to three weeks to recover completely.
Chronic chapped lips that won't heal could be a sign of serious medical conditions or infections, which include actinic cheilitis, an early form of skin cancer that requires immediate treatment.
See a dermatologist if your problem persists. Chapping that doesn't heal, despite regular use of lip balm, can be a sign of infection or a more serious problem, like cancer or a precancerous condition called actinic cheilitis.
While it could be as simple as not drinking enough water, licking your lips too much, or eating salty foods, the root cause can sometimes be an underlying health condition like sunburn, allergic reactions, or skin cancer. If that's the case, no amount of lip balm—yep, even the really good stuff—is going to fix that.
Staying hydrated and drinking enough water throughout the day will help prevent your lips from drying out. You can even drink coconut water as it gives the body the minerals it needs to stay hydrated.
Thankfully, both experts say a resounding yes, as long as the issue is not an internal one. Dr. Browne says keeping lips hydrated comes first and foremost when preventing chapped and dry lips. “Keep your lips moisturized with fragrance-free, hypoallergenic emollients,” she says.
Lip balms provide only temporary comfort, and some types can make scaly lips even drier. That's because, in part, when the thin film of moisture from the lip balm evaporates, it dehydrates your lips even more. "It starts a vicious cycle," Dr.
“They initially feel great on dry lips, but overuse can make them even drier,” says Talakoub. She recommends using Vaseline, $6, Aquaphor, $5, or Avene's Cold Cream Lip Butter, $16, instead.
Do you use lip balm so often that you think you might be addicted to it? Cross that worry off your list. Lip balm has no ingredients that can cause dependency. And ingredients in these products can't short-circuit your skin's ability to make natural moisture.
"Also, if you constantly apply occlusive products to your lips, this can interfere with the skin's natural ability to adjust to changes in environment." If you feel like you're "addicted" to your lip balm, she notes that it's usually because of irritating ingredients like menthol, cinnamon, and camphor—and if you feel ...
Always moisten your lips before applying your lip balm. Never apply to a dry lip. The balm will then seal in the moisture." The trick works because Vaseline and other lip balm products help to create a seal around the lips and prevent moisture loss, but often don't add that much moisture to already dry lips.
Any of the following conditions can contribute to chapped lips. Dehydration – When you're dehydrated, your lips are more prone to dryness. Drink about eight glasses of water per day to stay properly hydrated. Malnutrition – Improper diet and nutrient deficiencies can make skin and lips drier than usual.
Being under stress for a long period of time, with accompanying symptoms such as low mood and tiredness, can result in cracked lips. As well as this, a poor diet which is low in iron and B vitamins may lead to lips becoming dry and sore.
The secret to dealing with dry, sore, chapped lips is to find a way to lock in moisture and protect the lips from the cold, dry air. Vaseline® Healing Jelly is an excellent choice as it forms a protective layer on the lips and penetrates deep down to rehydrate the skin and speed up the its natural renewal process.
Putting on a little lip balm before you go to bed will go a long way toward preventing your lips from drying out as you sleep. This is also important since most people breathe through their mouths when they sleep, which has a natural drying effect on the lips.
6) Apply the proper balm before bed
On that note, if you're going to apply lip balm, don't just go for it in the daytime; apply it before bed, too. "Look for ingredients like shea butter, glycerin or natural oils," advised Fishman.
Lip balm doesn't contain any addictive substances. Using it excessively doesn't cause the lips and surrounding area to stop producing natural moisture. At the most, you may be hyperaware of your bare lips, much like you'd be aware of how naked you are if you stopped wearing clothes.
So, should you use chapstick or Vaseline? Both! Chapstick moisturizes dry lips, and Vaseline helps in sealing the moisture in and keeping the skin barrier intact. While you can get away with using just chapstick, there is no point in using Vaseline without applying chapstick first.
Unlike the rest of your skin, your lips don't have oil glands, which means they can't moisturize themselves and quickly become dry.
Using chapstick does not make your lips 'dependent' on it, but you may feel like you can't stop using it.
If you find yourself constantly reaching for a lip balm during the day, Dr Bijlani advises the following precautionary measures: Try going cold turkey and don't use any lip balm for at least two weeks to let your skin go back to naturally hydrating your lips.
Does Burt's Bees lip balm dry out lips? From my experience, no, Burt's Bees lip balm does not dry out lips. It's designed to keep the moisture in and prevent moisturise loss. It contains several moisturising ingredients that make skin smoother and several ingredients help to relieve any dryness.